Holy Roma

We went to Roma again. This time our mission (and the kids grudgingly accepted it) was to see "Holy Rome."
Vatican, St. Peter's, Pieta, Sistine Chapel... that sort of thing. Since we again drove in and parked at the Villa Borghese
(which, as such, we have yet to see other than "Wait! what does that sign say!!! Is the parking this way or that way????")
we needed to find our way over to the Vatican by way of...McDonalds. It was a beautiful McDonalds and the kids
thoroughly enjoyed it. So the walking tour began on the streets of hot and sticky Roma. We hit the Trevi fountain, Piazza
Navona (fountain closed for refurbishing) St. Ignazio square for the Jesuit alum photo-op, Pantheon, and then over
to the Vatican. We rested by the Tiber river for a long while enjoying the breeze and lack of crowds of people.
Then the decision: St. Peter's first or Vatican Museum? The kids wanted St. Peter's (and I was so hot and tired, I didn't
care) so we went with the small line and free St. Peter's. The biggest church I've seen probably ever. It was magnificent.
I was surprised that photos are allowed inside (how holy can it really be then, I ask???) so I have a slightly fuzzy
picture of Aidan rubbing the toe of St. Peter's statue. After exiting the church, we made Aidan go up to the guards and ask
how to get to the museum. It was a long walk around the corner to the museum entrance that was now closed. No sistine chapel
on this trip for us. Honestly, I don't think the kids could handle one more church. It will be stretch to get them into
another church at this point.
So intstead, Brian and Aidan wanted to climb the 500+ steps to the dome.
Julia and Edwin were having NO part of that, so I made the sacrifice to go to the cafe and have gelatto and a cappucino
with Colin, Julia and Ed.
Then we had a truly Italian experience: we took the bus. We (*I*) read the bus routes and found a bus to take us
to the section of town where Brian had a recommendation for a restaurant from a co-worker. We found Travestere (one of Roma's
oldest neighborhoods and they consider themselves the only "true" Romans) and then after asking at the gas station where
we might find the restaurant (which we only had half the name of) he directed us down the road to a nearby piazza.
We found the restaurant, and found out they didn't open for 45 minutes. They kindly let us sit down at the outdoor
tables and wait, so we had plently of time to peruse the menus (some of which was in English) The place has been around
since 800. That's 1200 hundred years people. The waiters wore some kind of traditional Italian dress and most were older gentlemen.
They made us laugh when they made fun of the huge tour group of Americans and once we ordered,
the band starting making its rounds to the tables. They sang a "Viva Mama" song to us and then pulled
out a hand puppet and sang some very cute Italian children's song to Edwin. It was a great evening. Much more fun than more
museums for the kids. The long walk back to the metro and finding the car took us by the Circus Maximus - Edwin on piggyback
at this point in the long evening. It's too bad that we had such a long journey home - Roma is beautiful (and cooler!) by
night.